Van ECK Associates Corp Reduces Stock Holdings in Smurfit Westrock Ltd (NYSE:SW)

Van ECK Associates Corp decreased its stake in Smurfit Westrock Ltd (NYSE:SW) by 7.3% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 5,540 shares of the company’s stock after selling 434 shares during the quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp’s holdings in Smurfit Westrock were worth $298,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Retirement Wealth Solutions LLC purchased a new position in shares of Smurfit Westrock in the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Versant Capital Management Inc bought a new stake in shares of Smurfit Westrock during the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB lifted its stake in shares of Smurfit Westrock by 117.7% during the 4th quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 516 shares of the company’s stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 279 shares during the last quarter. Spire Wealth Management bought a new stake in shares of Smurfit Westrock during the 4th quarter worth approximately $36,000. Finally, Tompkins Financial Corp bought a new stake in shares of Smurfit Westrock during the 4th quarter worth approximately $42,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 83.38% of the company’s stock.

Insider Transactions at Smurfit Westrock

In related news, insider Saverio Mayer sold 25,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, December 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $54.84, for a total transaction of $1,371,000.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 149,911 shares in the company, valued at $8,221,119.24. The trade was a 14.29 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, insider Ken Bowles sold 24,225 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $55.06, for a total value of $1,333,828.50. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 111,458 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,136,877.48. This trade represents a 17.85 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.49% of the company’s stock.

Smurfit Westrock Trading Down 1.7 %

Shares of NYSE SW opened at $53.17 on Monday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.89, a current ratio of 1.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $53.60 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $50.16. The firm has a market cap of $27.67 billion, a PE ratio of 96.67 and a beta of 1.02. Smurfit Westrock Ltd has a twelve month low of $38.55 and a twelve month high of $56.99.

Smurfit Westrock (NYSE:SW) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 12th. The company reported $0.34 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.67 by ($0.33). Smurfit Westrock had a return on equity of 6.16% and a net margin of 0.63%. Analysts expect that Smurfit Westrock Ltd will post 3.25 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Smurfit Westrock Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 18th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 14th will be given a $0.4308 dividend. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.24%. This is a positive change from Smurfit Westrock’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 14th. Smurfit Westrock’s payout ratio is presently 312.73%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on the company. Truist Financial assumed coverage on Smurfit Westrock in a research note on Tuesday, January 21st. They set a “buy” rating and a $62.00 price target for the company. Argus assumed coverage on Smurfit Westrock in a research note on Thursday, December 5th. They set a “buy” rating and a $62.00 price target for the company. Citigroup raised their price target on Smurfit Westrock from $61.00 to $62.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, January 6th. Barclays raised their price target on Smurfit Westrock from $60.00 to $68.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 11th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $58.00 price target on shares of Smurfit Westrock in a research note on Friday, November 15th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $60.70.

Smurfit Westrock Company Profile

Smurfit Westrock Plc, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, distributes, and sells containerboard, corrugated containers, and other paper-based packaging products in Ireland and internationally. The company produces containerboard that it converts into corrugated containers or sells to third parties, as well as produces other types of paper, such as consumer packaging board, sack paper, graphic paper, solid board and graphic board, and other paper-based packaging products, such as consumer packaging, solid board packaging, paper sacks, and other packaging products, including bag-in-box.